Acetylene-gas generator.



No; 669,938. Patented Mar. I2, |9o|.' J. r.-ronn. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed may 31, 1900.)

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Inventor (No Model.)

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PATENT JOHN F. FORD, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO YVARREN-H. SADLER, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

ESPEGIFICATION fulfilling? part of Letters Patent N0. 669,938, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed May 31, 1900. Gerial N0.1S,559. (N0 model.)

To all wit/0112, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. FORD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for the production of acetylene gas; and its object is to provide apparatus of this character which will automatically control the production of gas according as the supply is used, which will embody few and simple parts not requiring any especial attention or oversight and not liable to get out of order, and which will be entirely safe.

The invention consists in certain arrangements, constructions, and combinations of the parts, which I shall hereinafter fully describe, and particularly point out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail plan View, on an enlarged scale, of the grate which supports the carbid. Fig. at shows threetviews illustrating the shell which fits over the grate and forms therewith the carbid-holder. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional and a plan view of the casting and cylinder which supports the grate. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the generator looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 00, Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 shows detail views illustrating the stop for the generator-bell and its supporting-collar detached.

The generator of the apparatus comprises a cylindrical water-reservoir A, having an inclined bottom a,from which leads a dischargepipe at, and an inturned annular rim 0 at its top. Extending vertically up through the bottom and center of the water-reservoir A is a gas-feed pipe 01, open at its upper end and its lower end connected by an elbow to a pipe 66, which enters the gasometer-tank B. Around the lower portion of the feed-pipe cl and resting on the inclined bottom dis a tube 6, on whose upper end rests an open-grated casting C, (shown in detail in Fig. 5,) said ulated screen g, preferably of woven wire,

covers the grated casting O, and to the rim of the latter an upwardly-extending cylinder h is suitably secured. The grated casting is further formed with an annular flange 11, encircling its collarf, and an open-ended cylinderj, smaller than the cylinder h, fits around said flange, by which it. is kept from lateral displacement, and supports at its upper end a grate D, which supports the charge of carbid. This grate consists of a plurality of spacedapart concentric rings is, (see Fig. 8,) joined together by radial webs 7t,which at their inner ends surround the vertical tube m, running through the center of the carbid-holder shell. On each ring and radial web are a number of vertical prongs l, terminating in the same horizontal plane, on which the carbid directly rests, so that the water may obtain ready ac cess to the carbid and that the ash may more readily drop away, leaving the contact-surface of the grate clean, and any small particles of carbid which may drop through the grate D will be caught by the wire screen 9 and retained until entirely exhausted, when the residuum or ash will fall through the screen onto the inclined bottom a of the reservoir and can be drawn off by means of a faucet attached to discharge-pipe a.

The holder for the carbid comprises the grate D, described above, which forms the bottom of the holder, in combination with a vertically-movable cylindrical shell E,(shown in detail in Fig. 4,) which is open at its bottom and fits loosely around the grate D to form the sides and top of the carbid-holder, being provided with a central guiding-tube an, attached to the cover of the shell and fitting down over the gas-feed pipe (1, and the sides of the shell are formed with one or more series of slots 71, which overlap each other and through which the gas may flow, while the cover of the shell is provided with openings 0, through which the carbidis inserted to fill the holder.

When it is desired to charge the holder, the grate D and shell E are together slipped upwardly 0d the gas-feed pipe (1. The carbid is then inserted through the openings 0 in the cover until the holder is filled. The grate and shell are then together inserted in place over the gas-feed pipe (1 until the grate rests on top of the small cylinder j. The shell will then be supported by its cover resting upon the carbid.

F designates a water-displacing, generatorbell which fits snugly but loosely within the inturned annular rim 0 of the water-reservoir A and down over the carbid-holder and cylinder h, which latter helps to guide the bell in its up-and-down movements, and said bell is provided with an annular partition 19, spaced from its top and forming, with the latter, a dead-air chamber 13. A central tube q extends up inside the said dead-air chamber and is adapted to fit down loosely over the upper end of the gas-feed pipe d when the bell descends.

The upward movement of the generatorbell F is limited by a stop G, (shown in detail in Fig. 7,) which is formed with a central collar 7", loosely fitted on a vertical auxiliary escape-pipe H, which will be hereinafter described, said collar having an angular notch son its lower side and two oppositely-extending arms 15. Asleeve it fits around said auxiliary escape-pipe l-I, below the stop G, and is provided with a set screw it, to impinge against the pipe, and an inclined upper edge 3', adapted to fit in the said angular notch and support the stop G. One or the other of the arms t, owing to the peculiar angular arrangement of the notch s and the inclined upper edge 5, will always automatically extend into the vertical path of movement of the bell F and engages the top of the bell to stop the same, and it is obvious that upward pressure on one arm only will not raise the stop, but will cause it to bind on the pipe and remain rigidly in place; but when it is desired to raise the generator-bell F for the purpose of removing it the stop G will be raised by hand and turned around on the auxiliary escapepipe H, so as to place the arms 25 out of the way of the bell.

In order to determine at any time the heightof the column of carbid in the holder, I have provided a movable measuring-rod J, guided vertically in the water-reservoirA. The upper end projects above the top of the reservoir and below has a returned end 11, extending upinside the bell F and adapted to contact with the bottom of the shell E, so that the position of the shell, and consequently the height of the carbid, may be determined.

The gasometer of the apparatus comprises a separate water-tank B, preferably permanently connected with the water-reservoir A by one or more webs 'v and having an inturned annular rim 0, in which fits snugly butloosely the gasometer-bell I, which is attached to a central open-ended safety-pipe e,slidably surrounding a vertical stationary guide-rod f The safety-pipe c has its upper end e extending outside the top of the bell and is into the'open atmosphere outside the building in which the apparatus is located.

The gas-pipe d, which leads from the generator and enters the gasometertank B, is

connected by a T-joint to a vertical gas-pipe (P, which extends up inside the hell I, and at its upper end is provided with a returned portion d having a downwardly-opening mouth. A looped wire 6 extends across said lllOlllill, and a stem 6 on a ball-valve L extends loosely upwardly through the loop in the wire 6 and has a head h, which retains the ball-valve in its proper relation to the mouth of the pipe. On the vertical pipe d adjacent the mouth of the said returned portion 01 is secured a supporting-sleeve j, to which an angular arm 70 is pivoted, and the free end of said arm is provided with a rollerfloat M, which being in the water is adapted to raise the arm 70 against the ball-valve L and force the valve to its seat, and thereby cut off theinflowof gas when the latter raises the hell I nearly to the upward limit of its movement. When the bell I descends, its lower edge engages the float M and presses it down, and it rolls along the inner side of the bell in a depressed position, thus permit ting the gas to force past the ball-valve L.

The ball-valve L being lighter than the water and always submerged is normally held to its seat by the upward pressure of the water, but so lightly that the gas coming from the generator will force past the ball-valve and pass through the water into the gasometer-bell I. When the gasometer-bell I rises sufficiently to allow the float M to also press upon the ball-valve L, the pressure of the gas .coming from the generator-bell is no longer sufficient to force past the ball-valve, and the gas must therefore remain in the generator. The gas which is thus kept back in the generator forces the level of the water in the generator down below the level of and out of contact with the carbid, and consequently the generation of gas ceases until some of the stored-up gas is used and the gasometer-bell I falls, so as to relieve the pressure of the float M on the ball-valve and allow the gas to flow from the generator. The safety-pipe e is of such length that its lower end will be above the level of the waterin the gasometertank B when the gasometer-bell I is at the upward limit of its movement, which will'permit the gas in the said bell to then enter the the horizontal pipes d and P, as shown in Fig. 2 in section.

The auxiliary escape-pipe H at its upper end is connected to the main escape-pipe K by means of the coupling g, and its lower end opens into a gas-and-water trap R, which, as best shown in Fig. 6, consists of a pipe 9, depending from the gas-pipe. cl and extend ing laterally, as at r and terminating in an upwardly-projecting nozzle r which has a flaring cup r secured around it, the open end of said nozzle being inserted in the lower open end of the said auxiliary escape-pipe H. The cup r and pipes 'r and r are always kept filled with Water to form the trap. A crosspipe to connects the said pipe H with the gaspipe d and is provided with a stop-cock w, as shown, which is opened to permit the egress or ingress of air from or to the bell F, through the pipe H, when it is desired to insert the hell in the water or to raise the generatorhell out of the water. The stop-cock w is, however, normally kept closed.

The gas-and'water trap R is provided to catch all the watervapor which may condense in the pipes d, d, and cl and also for use in the following-described emergency: Should it ever happen that the generator-bell F is at the upper limit of its movement and the ballvalve L will not open to permit the gasometer-bell I to rise to its limit and the gas to escape through the safety-pipes c and K,'then the gas will overcome the pressure of the water in the trap (pipes r r and cup W) and pass out of nozzle r and will bubble up through the auxiliary escapepipe H, so that the water around the two bells F and I will not overflow.

The waterreservoir A and gasometer-tank B are provided with water-inlet openings 1) and 1') near their upper rims and near the point of their connection with each other, and a plate T extends from the reservoir to the gasometer-tank at this point and forms a funnel, into which the water may be poured, one stream of water entering the reservoir and another entering the tank, so that both will be supplied with water to the same height.

In practical operation, the carbid-holder being full and the generator-bell F resting on top of the shell E, water is poured into the wateafunnel T until it reaches the level outside the generator-bell F and gasometer-bell 1, (indicated by the line 10 10, Fig. 2.) Then the water inside the generator-bell F will rise and attack the carbid, and as soon as gas is generated the weight of the hell F will be lifted oif the top of the shell E and will displace the waterinside of the bell and cause its level to recede to the point indicated by the line 20 20, same figure. At this point the waterwill not come in contact with the carbid, while the gas which has been generated will pass to the gasometer. The displacement of the water inside the generator'bell F will he maintained so long as said bell is out of contact with the top of the shell. As the carbid is being used up the shell E will. gradually sink down over the grate and will always rest on top of the carbid. When the ga in the generator-bell F has been drawn off, the bell will sink until it again rests on top of the shell E, (which will at this time be at a slightly-lower point,) and the displaced water will again rise to attack the carbid.

It will thus be seen that the generator-bell F as it moves into and out of contact with the top of the shell E will automatically control the generation of the gas according to the consumption of the same, and when all the carbid has been used up the top of the shell E will rest directly on the carbid-grate D, the bell F will rest on top of the shell, and the water will rise to about the point indicated by the line 30 30 and cause practically all the gas left within the bell F to be driven over into the gasometer. Moreover, itwill be seen that there is a water connection between the Water-reservoir A and water-tank B by means of the funnel formed by the plate T and openings 1) b, and should the pressure of gas in the generator become so great that it tends to force the water out of the reservoir A said water will flow out of the opening 1) over into the tank B and will not run out on the floor.

Having thus described my invention, what Iolaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination of a Water-reservoir; a grate adapted to support the carbid and immovably held in said reservoir; ashell slidably fitted over said grate and adapted to be supported by the carbid; anda water-displacing bell inserted over said shell.

2. An acetylene-gas genera-tor, comprising a water-reservoir; a vertically movable bell in said reservoir; and a carbid-holder within said bell at such an elevation as to hold the carbid above the level of displacementpvherebytwhen the gas is withdrawn from the bell the latter will descend and rest on the top of the holder and allow the water to rise above the level of displacement and attack the carbid.

3. In an acetylene-gas generator the co1nbination of a water-reservoir; a water-displacing bell in said reservoir; and a verticallytelescoping carbid-holder within said belland on which the bell is adapted to rest when the gas is withdrawn therefrom, whereby to restore the displacement of the water.

4:. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a Water-reservoir; a grate for the carbid sup ported within said reservoir; a casting below said grate and provided with a screen and an upwardly-extending cylinder h; and a waterdisplacing bellfitting down over said grate and cylinder and guided in its movements by the latter.

5. An acetylene-gas generator, comprising a Water-reservoir having a gas-feed pipe leading therefrom; a screen-covered casting fitted on said feed-pipe and having a cylinder h extending upwardly from around its outer edge and a central annular flange; a smaller cylinder resting around said annular flange; a

grate for the carbid resting on said lastnamed cylinder; a shell slidably fitted over said'grate and adapted to be supported by the carbid; and a Water-displacing bell over said shell.

6. An acetylene-gas generator comprising a water-reservoir having a gas-feed pipe leading from its bottom; a tube fitted around said pipe and resting on the bottom of the reservoir; a screen-covered casting having a collar fitted around said feed-pipe, .an annular flange encircling said collar, and an upwardlyeXtending cylinder surrounding said fiange said casting resting on the said tube; an openended cylinder fitted around the said annular flange; a grate for the carbid resting on said last-named cylinder; a shell slidably fitted over said grate and adapted to rest on the carbid, said shell having a central tube slidably fitted on the feed-pipe; and a bell over said shell.

7. An acetylene-gas generator, comprising a Water-reservoir having a vertical gas-feed pipe leading therefrom; a grate for the carbid supported by said 'pipe; a shell slidably fitted over said grate and adapted to be supported by the carbid, whereby when the carbid is used up, the top of the shell will rest on the grate; and a Water-displacing bell in said reservoir adapted to rest on the top of the said shell when the bell sinks.

8. In an acetylene-gas generator, a carbidholder consisting of a grate formed of a plurality of spaced-apart concentric rings and radial Webs connecting said rings, the rings and webs being provided with upwardly-projecting prongs on which the carbid is adapted to rest; and a shell slidably fitted over said grate and having a central tube adapted to extend through said grate, and provided with slotted sides.

9. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with the generator, gasometer, and gas-pipe arranged to convey the gas from the generator to the gasometer, of a gas-and-water trap consisting of a pipe r depending from said gas-pipe and having an upwardlyprojecting nozzle; a cup t secured around said nozzlethe pipe r and cup 75 being adapted to contain Water; and a safety-pipe having its open end fitting over said nozzle and arranged to lead otf the gas which escapes from the same.

10.- In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with the generator, gasometer, and gas-pipe arranged to con vey the gas from the generator to the gasometer, of a gas-and-wa- 'ter trap consisting of a pipe 1" depending from said gas-pipe and having an upwardlyprojecting nozzle; a cup t secured around said nozz1e-the pipe 1" and cup 75 being adapted to contain water; a safety-pipe having its .open end fitting over said nozzle in side of the cup and arranged to lead off the gas which escapes from the same; and a bypass pipe w connecting the pipe 7" with the safety-pipe and provided with a stop-cock, as and for the purpose set forth.

11. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, a stop for a vertically-movable bell, said stop having oppositely-extending arms one of Which is normally located in the path of the bell and an angular notch on its lower side; and a sleeve for loosely supporting said stop formed with an inclined upper edge which fits in said notch, as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination of the cylindrical generator-tank and gasometer -tank closely connected together and each provided with a water-inlet opening near the point of their connection; and a plate extending from the generatortank to the gasorneter-tanl: and serving as a funnel for said water-inlet openings, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN F. FORD.

WVitnesses:

HARRY L. BAKER, A. L. FORD. 

